Closest Friend
by Glimare
Summary: In Guam, something on the road back to the hotel shakes the actors behind the Heel siblings to the core. Kuon can't get back into character and Kyoko starts wondering where she stands in Tsuruga-san's heart. Drama and fluff that will rot your teeth. T for some stronger language and small suggestive content.
1. Part 1

**_Disclaimer: _**I can't possibly own Skip Beat! so don't look at me lawyer man! BP

yeah, I've got a few fics I need to work on, plus homework, but I've been working on this one for a while and it's finished so I'm posting it! It was originally supposed to be a one shot, but became 18 pages. I don't like reading oneshots that are super long so I broke it down for easy reading. I'll post it all today so don't freak out too much. and other than this, no notes until the end. Prepare for a roller coaster guys. This one is a doozy! Enjoy!

Oh, just a note on the italics. Unless I say they're on the phone this time, all italics in "..." are English. Normally I just use italics for thoughts between '...' and for people on the other end of the line, using a translator with end translation notes at the bottom of the page for anything other than English. Since they usually speak Japanese though, I can't do that. Just a minor thing, but still important.

* * *

**_Closest Friend_**

Guam was a very strange and wonderful place to Kyoko. Warm when Japan was cool, beaches everywhere, and people of all shapes and colors! She never saw so many black people in her life! And stark white ones! And so many shades of brown! Then there were the red people who were always angry, but she was sure that was because of their carelessness on the beach. Blonds and redheads dotted the land too, natural ones. She only saw a few natural blonds in her life, Corn being the top of the list. Everything about this place and these people was incredible.

Unfortunately it didn't impress Setsuka.

"It's hooooot..." Black leather layers were not a good idea on the beach, even under an umbrella. The wig and the fact Cain _insisted_ she wore pants didn't help either. Being bored out of her skull under that umbrella, watching the fake massacre before her, she was starting to wonder when she and her big brother could get away and explore like he promised. Guam wasn't Japan, and it certainly wasn't London where they 'came from'. Setsu wanted to see what kind of bathing suits these people had. Niisan would definitely buy her a good one if she asked.

Mentally Kyoko wanted to scream at the idea. Setsu's idea of a good bathing suit would be so embarrassing! Not that she didn't want to get a few souvenirs from this trip, but she was not bringing back a Setsu approved bathing suit. She'd never use it again after her role was done. But she was so freakin' hot... "Aren't the done yet? I want ice cream!"

"And CUT!" The director grinned broadly as he ended the scene, finally putting that long afternoon to rest. "Well done everybody! That's it for today! Head back to the hotel and get some rest! We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow!"

"Finally..." Even five in the evening, it was hot! As fun as it was to see her brother 'slice and dice' these idiots, she could not wait to get back inside where at least there was air conditioning. Cain had to be baking in that hideous heavy coat. The makeup had to be sweating off of him by now. He certainly seemed happy throwing off that heavy coat; or maybe he was just thrilled to throw something over that annoying Manaka who still couldn't take a hint. The hamster needed help getting back up and watching that from Setsu's perch was pretty funny.

'_Natsu's rubbing off on me_,' Kyoko cringed internally, though not entirely upset with the thought of embarrassing the foolish lady further. Though Tsuruga-san had told Bo he couldn't have a relationship with anyone, she still couldn't help but be a little hurt that others were actively pursuing him. He certainly seemed a lot cheerier since the Katsuki test but...

Mentally she shook herself, getting as far away from thoughts of love to focus on her absentminded Niisan who didn't bother going back to the makeup tent to get everything removed. BJ didn't have a lot on under that coat, but there were a lot of fake scars and scabs. Then there were his contacts, which were still scary.

He instead went straight to his sister who started to check him out. Kyoko knew he was handsome, but seriously when did he have the time to even maintain those muscles? How did he keep so good looking without proper nutrition all this time? There were so many mysteries about this man, she didn't even know where to start!

Setsu just ignored them all, took out her cellphone, and started taking pictures. "_Say cheese._"

Cain raised an eyebrow at her behavior for a second in silence before smirking in mild amusement. "_Swiss or cheddar?_"

_Click_ "_Cute_." Not looking up from her phone and still taking snapshots of him coming towards her (he seemed to add a slight swagger to his approach), she blindly put a hand into her bag to find the contacts container he gave her earlier. "_Do I get to peel your skin off?_"

"_If you're good._" His hand soon met hers in the bag just as she found what she was looking for. She paused momentarily, very conscious of how close they were at that moment. It was hard to stay in character when the slightest amount of contact made her warm. He didn't do the same but kept going at the same pace, not noticing her odd behavior. Thank heavens. Raising the container to eye level, he inclined his head towards the public showers. "_I'll be back._"

"_Don't take it all off_," Setsu pouted, looking forward to peeling off the fake injuries with sadistic delight. There was just something about it that made her body tingle. Her brother smirked at her enthusiasm as he walked away to the public showers, likely to rinse off the majority of the makeup. Sweat, sand, and makeup did not mix well together and he did not like the feel of it. She didn't like the feel of it either. Getting back to their hotel room and taking a shower was high on her priorities. They could go shopping after room service brought them dinner.

It wasn't long after Cain disappeared behind a flimsy curtain that an annoyance appeared. Murasame for some oddity was the reason her brother insisted she cover up, even in the hot _hot_ sun. Now he was looming nearby when all she wanted was AC and ice cream, among ever other aforementioned thing. Couldn't the cheese-head-man go bug the hamster? "What?"

"Heard you went back to England." He folded his arms in front of him, demanding information.

"So?" Why did he care? The only thing he ever did was insult and attack her brother. How he was a threat to her was a mystery, but she wasn't about to press it. He hardly spoke to her since that first day.

"Why?" He cocked his head to the side, really curious. "I thought you were... devoted to your... brother..." Murasame didn't seem to like thinking of those two's relationship. She could only imagine his reaction if he ever knew they weren't siblings.

Instantly Kyoko thought of every excuse she could. Exams. Parents being worried. Legal matters. Abducted by aliens. Medical treatments. Severe craving for 'fish and chips'. There were so many stories she could make up in order to throw him off her scent. In the end, Setsu chose the best option for her. She gave him a quick glare then looked away, waiting boredly for her brother while a fly buzzed around her ear. Maybe she should swat it.

The man glared at her when she gave no response and eventually backed away, folding his arms. "Fine. Don't tell me. S'not like we didn't get a lot done with you gone. Makana still doesn't get that he's a bad guy. Maybe some girl chat is necessary to get her to calm down?"

Setsuka glared at him from the corner of her eye, deciding to be as rude as Cain suggested she should be. "Men like you are despicable. Only thinking of how to shack up with the next cute thing in a skirt. Get lost."

Stunned, all the blood left his face, only to return in full force seconds after. Setsu usually was civil with people, but she was hot! And covered in sand! Not to mention hungry and tired. Shower, dinner, shopping, ice cream, bed, Niisan. That was all she wanted at that point. This cheese-brained fly was too annoying to deal with right then.

Not far away they heard slow clapping. Cain somehow managed to sneak up on them and was applauding his charming sister's actions as if she was the star of the school play. "_Nice. Next time, insult his manhood. If he has one._"

"_I wonder..._" A devious, Natsu-like smile fluttered onto her lips as she looked back to the guy. Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what Cain meant by that, but it sounded very insulting. The intruder was starting to shake at their arrogance, not quite understanding what they were saying. Not everyone learned English in school, nor had the practice they did. Hopefully they could keep things going long enough for him to leave. "_Do you think he's compensating?_"

Kyoko had heard the phrase quite a few times, not quite getting it, but it definitely impressed her 'brother'. Both his eyebrows went up a bit before he started staring at Murasame's body, debating something calmly. "_Possibly..._"

"Speak Japanese!" The identical 'you're an idiot' look they gave him made him scream out completely before stomping away, very frustrated.

"_Took him long enough._" Setsu finally left the chair she lounged in during the shoot, stretching a bit while Cain found his towel and patted the water he collected from his quick rinsing shower minutes ago. Some of the fake scars were still there, and the makeup ran everywhere, but at least his eyes were the familiar brown she loved. "_I swear he becomes much stupid each time I see him._"

"_More stupid,_" her brother corrected softly. Occasionally she made a grammatical mistake and he would easily correct it. Teaching her to use a British accent at the same time was fun, but over the course of this job and helping Hizuri Kuu, Kyoko's English skills were exceptional. Still too polite but good enough. "_Or stupider. Honestly, he's a pain in the ass._"

"_At least he can fight._" Niisan shrugged his consent to that, but didn't comment on it. Seeing some of the makeup peeling across his face, Setsu reached up and started peeling it off. "_Cool_..."

"_What are you going to do to the pieces?_" He seemed honestly amused at her fascination with his peeling 'flesh' makeup. It was fun to watch, but a bit odd. He finished patting himself dry (to a point) and stuffed the towel back into his bag, exchanging it for a loose shirt to keep the sun off.

"_I was thinking of making a scrapbook._" Finally done on the beach, they picked up their bags and started walking towards the hotel. They'd hold hands again if Setsu wasn't having so much fun collecting his 'skin'. "_To show Father later. Or maybe your old manager._"

"_Sounds more like something Boss' grandkid would like._" At the mention of Maria, she had to giggle. Yeah, Maria would love fake pieces of her 'beloved Ren-sama's' skin. It'd go well with her hair samples (which Kyoko really wished she didn't know about). Niisan gave her a small smile, much calmer now than at the beginning of the shoot. Hard to imagine that guy and this one were the same person some times. He winced a little as she peeled a large one off his arm, taking a few hairs with it.

"_Did that hurt?_" She dreaded the thought of hurting him by peeling off the fake marks. What if she was taking real skin off instead of fake?!

"_A little. They had to use a stronger glue this time._" He pouted as he rubbed his slightly red arm. He'd been in the sun all day, it was likely he was starting to burn. Setsu helped him put on sunblock a few times and the makeup crew assured them everything was UV proof, but it wasn't foolproof.

"_Hmmm... we should pick up some burn cream tonight. And Ice cream._" Setsuka said it as if it were a done deal, but they never discussed any shopping plans previously. Cain watched her for a moment in silence, then gave a consenting nod. She smiled as she picked off another scar on his face. It was pretty fun. "_I was thinking about getting a swimsuit for the next shoot-_"

"_Not on the set._" The firm glare he gave her was exactly the reaction she was expecting. He was very much against those revealing clothes after all. Secretly Kyoko was glad Cain said no. She'd be so embarrassed! But Setsu...

"_I want to work on my tan._" He was still glaring at her, now more annoyed than anything else. It was funny seeing his different expressions. "_It's the perfect opportunity-_"

"_I won't be able to concentrate if I have to peel men off of you every five minutes. No tanning._"

"_But it's so hot! I'm baking in this!_" She picked at the dark tube top/jacket combo, flicking her hair in the process. She didn't dare bring up the pants again.

"_Then wear looser clothes._" Cain shook his head slowly, sighing a bit. Was that no good? "_We can always buy another suitcase._"

"_Niisan_," she gave him a glare now, one she reserved for each time he spent much money on her, "_don't spend money frivolously._"

"_It's my money. If I want to spend it on you I will. Don't deny me that pleasure._"

Kyoko could feel her cheeks turn red for a moment, but Setsu forced it down. This was just how her _brother_ thought. Flattering as it was, he was still being an idiot. She decided to punish him instead of fighting the costs. Coming close to his ear, she teased as she peeled a small scab off his face. "_But don't you want to see me in a swimsuit? Niisan?_"

Almost instantly his face became blank, slowing his body to a near stop. Giggling, Setsu nearly skipped ahead, teasing him even more. "_I'll model them off just for you. I'll even let you pick the best one. Which do you think is better? A one piece or-_"

_SCRREEEEEEEEEECCCHHH_ "SETSU!"


	2. Part 2

Kyoko wasn't sure what happened until she started shaking in Tsuruga-san's very tight arms. It happened so fast, she was still registering it as he called her by her real name, desperately asking if she was alright. While Setsu was teasing her brother about bathing suits, some drunk behind the wheel careened towards her on the sidewalk. Cain pulled her out of harm's way milliseconds before it could make contact and dove as far from the road as possible. The car was still going, people were still screaming, and she still hadn't responded to her sempai's words.

"-gami-san! Kyoko-chan! Please! Talk to me!" It was a harsh whisper, but fear was evident in every word. Both his hands were on her face, forcing her to look up to him and his very worried face. His hands were shaking... "Kyoko..."

"Ah... what?" She kept blinking, trying to shake off the shock but somehow still in it. Her brain was scattered everywhere. Weren't they supposed to be in character? Tsuruga-san looked so scared... Who was that person running up from behind him? Where did that car come from? Her lips were trembling. "Tsu... Tsuruga-san?"

"_Thank God._" Hearing her speak, he let go of her face and pulled her back into a very tight hug, nearly covering her with his large body. Every bit of him trembled with her as he buried his face into her wig. Everything finally registering in her head, tears started to stream down her face. She clung onto him for dear life, crying into his shirt like a little kid. So scared of what just happened, she didn't even notice his English changing accents.

"_Are you two okay?!_" A large black man came up to them, wearing some kind of uniform she didn't recognize. Not that Kyoko looked up to him, but her savior did, barely.

"_I... I don't know..._" He was really unsure of himself, still shaking and holding onto her for dear life. Kyoko didn't really listen to the conversation or notice the director and a few others coming up to see what happen. She did notice when Tsuruga-san loosened his grip around her, only for him to pick her up and take her to a bench to be checked out. She sat on his lap, still clinging to him as the stranger looked them over; he must be some kind of emergency medical professional, but she couldn't put names to faces right then. She couldn't even keep in character right then. All she knew was that she was nearly run over and Tsuruga Ren saved her, staying by her side.

"_Nothing seems to be broken or damaged_," the stranger stated, looking to the director. "_They just seem to be in shock. Are you a stuntman?_"

"_Done some._" Cain Heel was coming back, slowly.

"_Well your instincts saved not only your lives but prevented any serious injury. Those are all fake, right?_" She could feel him nod above her. "_Good. I bet you'll both be sore for the next few says, maybe bruised, but take it easy and you'll be fine. So calm down. She's not going anywhere._"

Cain's only answer was to hold her a little tighter. His shaking lessened, but it didn't stop. Her tears and quaking slowed as well, but she was not about to leave her protector. She could hear the whispers of many worried people and someone mentioning calling the police, but she didn't care about any of it. She didn't want to leave this man's arms and face a world that could easily kill her right then.

Her coworker and the director talked for a minute in hushed tones as she slowly calmed her heartbeat. Her tears were nearly dried up and her head was starting to really hurt. Exhaustion was flooding her body as her tremors calmed to an almost unnoticeable level, yet she still felt like she was shaking and weak. After a minute, she realized she wasn't the one shaking, but Tsuruga-san.

Pulling her head up to look at him, she blearily realized his expressions weren't Cain's at all. If anyone but that emergency man and the director saw it, he'd be revealed for sure. Like that one night near the elevator, it didn't seem to matter right then who saw or heard him. He was scared... over her?

Blinking, she tried to make sense of the world. They were talking about hospitals, cabs, and making statements. Tsuruga-san, trying to reenter his Cain Heel role by speaking English, seemed very hesitant to go to a hospital or making official statements about what happened, but he seemed unsure about to do next. Torn was probably the best way to describe how he was. How she wanted to help him...

"N...Niisan..." This snapped both their attention to her once again, surprised she was saying anything at all, let alone in character (though in Japanese). It was touch and go really, but she was trying. "I still want ice cream."

Surprised that was the first thing out of her mouth, the men gaped at her. It was all she could think of, even though she barely mentioned it to Cain. She was having too much fun with the bathing suit shopping idea to seriously bring it up. After a moment, Tsuruga-san's shoulders relaxed a bit and a relieved smile appeared on his face. His head lightly knocked into hers, closing his eyes as he spoke to her in a soothing, low tone in their native tongue. "Alright. I'll order room service to bring some. Anything for you."

A blush graced her face, but she smiled too, glad he could calm down for even a moment. The director breathed a sigh of relief and started talking to the onlookers, dispersing the crowd. After a long moment of silence, Tsuruga-san moved his head away, loosened his grip enough so they could talk comfortably. She did the same, but neither were about to let go.

"A cab should be here soon. Do you want to go to the hospital?" Kyoko shook her head slowly, her brain still swimming from all the crying. She felt so heavy... He nodded and kept going. "Konoe-san is going to handle the police until morning. Neither of us are in a state to answer questions right now. What kind of ice cream do you want?"

Taken for a spin, Kyoko cocked her head to the side trying to think of one. Setsu would probably like- He adjusted his grip around her, shaking his head slightly. "Forget the job for a moment. Dropping a job and breaking from character because of a personally troubling event are entirely different things. What is it you want, Mogami-san?"

She didn't speak for a moment, then, "Water."

"Eh?" He stared at her for a long moment blankly before realization hit. "Ah. Right. One second." Someone had brought their bags over to the bench they were on, and left a couple water bottles to boot. Reaching around her, Tsuruga-san pulled her back against him as he grabbed one on her opposite side and opened it before righting her and giving her the drink. "Here."

She slowly put it to her lips, her head still in chaos as she leaned against his chest. One hand remained on her back while the other helped her keep the drink in her hands, supporting her in her time of weakness. Once the precious liquid started going in her mouth, she couldn't stop drinking until the entire thing was empty. Her head felt a little better now, but she was still tired. She rested his head against his shoulder, letting her hands fall to her lap along with the empty bottle and his large hand on hers.

"Better?"

"A little."

"Good." He rested his cheek against her wig, his shaking at last subsiding. He started rubbing her shoulder slowly, calming her down even more. It was really nice sitting there like that, waiting for their ride back to the hotel as their hearts calmed down.

This was so different from when they were on location for _Dark Moon_ and he was reassuring her that Corn was alright. Then she was the only one scared. This time, he was too. It was all her fault. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I wasn't paying attention. If I hadn't been-"

He silenced her quickly by pulling her closer to him. "You didn't do anything wrong. It was the driver. He wasn't paying attention to the road. Don't apologize all the time. You didn't screw up."

"But I-"

"Hush." He put a finger on her lips, stopping her objections. "Stop thinking about it. You're fine. That's all that matters."

Quiet again, Kyoko stopped trying to think and just looked off into space as the man she loved held her as close as he could without hurting her. Part of her wondered if he could feel her beating heart or if the pulsating sound filling her ears was his. "Thank you."

She felt him relax a little more, then a little squeeze in response. "Any time."

They stayed like that, silent and tired, until the taxi finally arrived. Tsuruga-san's first impulse was to slide one hand under her legs to carry her, but Kyoko managed to finally get enough of her senses back to object. "I can walk-"

"Please." One word and one look of his face and she couldn't say no. Somehow he managed to get off the bench and grab their bags at the same time without any help, but someone else still got the door for them. He nodded his thanks as his climbed inside, carrying her carefully through the doorway. She wanted to blush but she was so tired she couldn't. Shortly after getting inside, he made her as comfortable as possible, securing a seatbelt around her before grabbing his own and giving instructions to the driver.

Just as the car started moving, Tsuruga-san slipped an arm around her and pulled her against him. "Sleep," he murmured in her ear. "I'll wake you when we get there."

"Mhm." With no energy left, Kyoko closed her eyes and let it all go. The sun was setting fast over the horizon, she was tired, comfortable, and safe, and honestly there wasn't much else she could do. The soothing motion and rhythm of the car, along with her sempai's hand around her, rubbing her shoulder gently, was too inviting to resist. There was no reason in the world not to fall asleep.


	3. Part 3

Shock only lasted so long on Mogami Kyoko. By the time she woke up she had enough of her mental and physical capacities back to be properly angry at the driver who pretty much ruined the rest of her evening plans. Worse yet, when the shock was gone, she was more than a little aware of Tsuruga Ren's behavior. She only hoped it was shock that made him act so... unprofessional... at that moment.

Needing a break from him, and a shower, she locked herself into the bathroom and got the water flowing. She did not though get in. Instead she whipped out her cellphone and pressed speed dial. Before the third ring, the other end picked up. "_Something the matter Mogami-kun?_"

"He's driving me crazy!" Kyoko was at wits end as she rapidly told the president what Tsuruga-san had done ever since the car accident, but in her scattered way whenever she was panicked. "It was nice at first but he won't leave me alone for two seconds! First he insisted on carrying me everywhere and then he started undressing me and making sure I had plenty of water and asking questions and always holding onto me no matter what I said! I know it was a bit of a scare but seriously I'm fine and he just won't-"

"_Hold on a moment Mogami-kun! You're not making any sense! Unless you've both lost complete control..._"

Near in tears, Kyoko rambled on. "Even in the taxi he had to be sure I was alright! I'm fine! That doctor guy said I was fine and so was he and-"

"_CALM DOWN!_" Silenced at last, the president sighed on the other end. "_Take a deep breath, sit down where ever you are, and start at the beginning. What happened?_"

Doing as he told, the actress sat on top of the toilet and tried to go in chronological order. "We just finished today's filming for _Tragic Marker_ and were headed back to the hotel when a car swerved off the road and nearly hit me."

"_OH MY GOD! MOGAMI-KUN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!_"

"NEARLY hit me." Sighing in exasperation, she continued on. "Tsuruga-san managed to get me out of the way before anything happened, but he hasn't been himself or Cain since then."

"_I certainly hope not! Are you sure you're alright?_"

"I'm fine." Frustrated yet calmer, Kyoko kept talking. "But he's not. I've been nearly hit on my bike a few times-"

"_WHAT?!_"

"-so I can shake it off," she went on before her boss could berate her for that. "I just needed more time this time because of how close it was. Tsuruga-san took a lot longer to stop shaking and still won't return to being Cain. Or something similar."

"_Of course he couldn't! How can you just shake off nearly getting run over?!_" Were all men this panicked about car accidents?

"Look, the main thing is, he's still in shock about it and is being super overprotective, more than anything Cain has ever done. He's acting like I'm a living china doll and it's driving me crazy!" Recent memories flooded her mind as she explained. "I can walk! I can take off my own shoes! I can drink water without help! If I didn't put my foot down and lock the door, I'm certain he'd try to give me a bath right now! He was washing off my face not that long ago because my makeup was running!"

"_Well it's good to know he's taking care of you properly._" The firm approval from the president wasn't helping matters. "_If he wasn't, I'd fly straight over and set him right._"

"President..." A new headache was growing with each passing second. "The accident was three hours ago. He needs to calm down and become Cain again or he'll never be able to finish this job! And this isn't helping my heart! I'm getting false hopes all because he's acting so strange while in shock.

"What am I supposed to do? I don't know how to take this..."

Finally the other end fell silent, thinking while she tried to settle down her feelings. It was really good at the beginning, and she really needed the comfort. What they did wasn't out of the Heel siblings' characters then, and few were around to figure out what they were talking about when they spoke, but after her nap in the car, her brain was functioning fully. She realized this was dangerous territory and had to distance herself from him in order to keep her promises intact. Tsuruga-san though just wouldn't let her!

Eventually she heard a sigh on the other end of the line and imagined the president shaking his head. "_You two really are a handful..._

"_Mogami-kun, let me tell you right now, who you are seeing right now in the other room is Ren's true personality, and he's scared out of his mind about what happened. And not just because his kohai was nearly put in the hospital._"

"Eh?"

"_It's because he nearly relived a trauma he is still working through._" Kyoko's heart stop for a moment as the man's voice went on. "_About six years ago, his best friend was killed by a hit-and-run driver, right in front of him._"

"What?" A pit of horror filled her stomach as her imagination ran wild.

"_They were talking mere seconds before the collision, and Ren has yet to forgive himself for what happened._" Her heart clenched at the pain her sempai must be feeling all this time. Was this the reason he couldn't have anyone important to him? Because he was scared they'd be hurt too? Did he feel he didn't deserve friends because one of them was killed? She long suspected something like that had happened, but she was too scared to ask him for any details. It wasn't her place to ask, and he didn't want to talk about it.

He was suffering just as much as Corn was. But she couldn't give him a curse breaking kiss. If only she could...

"_Please don't tell him I told you this,_" the president continued on the phone. "_He's been struggling for a long time to regain his confidence and... Well, you know how he is. Possibly, you might be the only person who knows the real him right now._"

"Eh?" How could she possibly know anything like that? Still the man continued.

"_You probably don't realize this, but you're part of his very close inner circle, and the only one he's personally invited into it._"

"Huh?"

Sighing once more, her boss explained. "_Tell me Mogami-kun, how often do you see him talking with people outside of work? How many people does he go out of his way to greet or talk to at LME? Have you heard of him taking other employees to their homes or other jobs? No Mogami-kun, these are not regular occurrences for him. He has turned his entire life to acting and his work since the accident. It was the only way he could cope with everything._

"_Then you came into his life and all of that started to change._" There was a smile in his voice, one that sparked a hope that shouldn't be there. "_I don't know what you did, or how it happened, or why, but in the year that you've known Ren, he's changed a lot. His acting as improved, he's healthier, and he's actually smiling and joking from his heart. He's letting his true self come out, beyond the persona he's used as 'Tsuruga Ren'. All his currently standing relationships have improved._"

"I can't possibly be-"

"_Mogami-kun, all the others close to him are those he had little choice to be around. I'm his boss, Maria's my granddaughter who became attached to him, and Yashiro and Ten work for me. His parents are the only others he cares about. Can you honestly say he had any choice in those relationships? He made them good, but you're the only one he had a choice to reject and didn't._

"_I think you are his closest friend Mogami-kun._" The words pulled at her heart, bringing forth memories from the past year of how he treated her and all he had done for her. He really was more than a sempai to her, and she realized that, but she never really thought about what she meant to him. Where did she rank in his heart? Even if he would never return her feelings, she wondered if at the least she was his friend. "_And he's so terrified of losing you, he won't tell you anything or do anything that may scare you away._

"_Seeing you nearly get run over today brought his trauma back into view, and he needs to be reassured that his important friend really is alright. His parents were very physical with comfort growing up, so don't be scared about him hugging you or doing things for you. He doesn't know what else to do at the moment. So please, be kind to him. He's in a very fragile state right now._"

"Understood sir." Kyoko's heart felt heavy for the man she loved, knowing why he was acting this way now. All she wanted to do was go back in there now and hold him close, let him cry his heart out and tell him everything would be alright. She wanted to give him the strength that he gave her. But right then she couldn't. She said she was going to take a shower and she needed a moment to think about how she was going to help him without exposing her feelings.

"_Good. Now that you've calmed down, this is what I want you to do._" There wasn't a meddling tone in his voice, but she still felt a little uneasy by what he said next. "_Clean yourself up like you said you would, then I want you to just be yourself until he's regained his Cain Heel persona. Tonight you two have the night off, but in the morning, the Heels will rise again. Don't tell him anything I've told you. He'll eventually tell you everything, but let it come out from him in his own time. Your instincts are good, particularly with him. He needs to know you're alright and won't leave him, so let him learn that. When he's reassured, everything will be alright. Okay?_"

"Alright..."

"_Are you sure you're alright? You didn't get hurt?_"

She shook her head. "Even when Tsuruga-san saved me, I wasn't hurt. He may have landed a little too hard on the pavement, but he didn't let me get hurt. I was... just shaken up. More than I had my entire life."

"_Well I'm glad you're alright. For both your sakes. Rest well tonight._"

"Yes sir." That was the end of the call, but the beginning of many serious thoughts for the girl.


	4. Part 4

In the other room though sat a young man just staring at the bathroom door. Kuon was still scared out of his mind that Kyoko was going to disappear, so he was using all his senses to make sure she was still alive and moving around in that other room. The running water made it hard to tell what was going on inside. If it were any other scenario and any other man, he'd be imagining the woman he loved cleaning herself off with joy. This though was not an ordinary set of parameters. He was just a silent sentinel protecting what was important inside.

Suddenly his phone rang, jerking him out of his vigil. Absently, the man took out his cell and recognized the number. _'Crap. The director must have called him. I should have told him about today first. But Kyoko was so shaken up I couldn't...'_

Quietly he remembered how her energy seemed to be revived after the taxi. She was a little unsteady on her feet though so he carried her to their room. He had to be sure she didn't have any bruises from that thing, so when they got to the room, he helped her out of her shoes and jacket, rolling up her pant legs to ensure there were no marks. Some bruising didn't appear until an hour or so after impact, so that EMT might have missed something. He looked just about everywhere acceptable and rigorously interrogated her to make sure nothing he couldn't touch hurt. He also took off her wig and ran his hands through her real hair to make sure there weren't any head injuries. His head kept coming up with possible injuries and he had to be sure she was alright. Dehydration then came to mind when he saw her tear tracks and he started thrusting water bottles into her hands to supply her with the fluids she clearly lost that day. Then he found a makeup wipe in her bag and started cleaning off her face. She looked like a crying wreck, bringing him back to how she started bawling on the side of the road. He would do anything and everything to get her to smile again.

That was the point when she declared she was going to get a shower and shook him off to get a change of clothes. She practically bolted into the bathroom and locked it tighter than Fort Knox. Still consumed by worry, Kuon sat himself right across from that door and waited for her to come out again.

That was the state he was in when the phone rang, and it continued to ring in his hand as he tried to sort out his thoughts. Right then he wasn't Cain Heel, or Tsuruga Ren. He was just a scared kid waiting for one person to leave the bathroom in one piece. This may be somewhat acceptable for most people, but he wasn't most people. He had to get himself together. Taking a deep breath, he opened his phone and tried to answer like Tsuruga Ren. "Hello President Takarada."

"_Cut the crap Kuon. You're not fooling me._" Damn. "_I heard everything from Mogami-kun._" Double damn. "_Your actions are starting to scare her._" He was going to hell. "_So calm down. She's not going anywhere._"

"Wh... What did you tell her?" Anxiety filled his stomach as he let his character completely slip away. If he told her about his past and what he did-

"_Only that you really care about her and are scared out of your mind of losing her. I didn't give too many specifics. That is up to you._" Relief flooded him as he nodded to the phone. His secrets were still safe. He could only handle one fear at a time right then. "_She's agreed not to pry for details. But you need to calm down. You have until dawn to return to Cain Heel. Personal accidents and circumstances are fair reasons for breaking character, but for the sake of the project and your careers, you must not let others see the states you two are in right now._"

"Understood."

"_She's not that weak Ren. She may be the strongest person I have ever met. Which is why you need to calm down. She's not going to disappear on you. She cares too much about you to up and leave because of this. But if you continue to smother her,_" Kuon flinched at his tone, "_she might become too scared to come near you. She's not used to pampering you know, even well-meaning kind._"

"I know." Running a hand over his face, he remembered his own rules for dealing with this girl. The amount of physical contact had steadily increased, and she was a little better about accepting things from him, but she was really very conservative in comparison to the girls he dated long ago. She was different from anyone he'd ever known, and he didn't want to lose her. He had to calm down and use his head if he was going to stay near her.

"_And one last thing. I know it's perfectly in line with Cain and Setsu's characters, and I know how much you used to cuddle with your parents when you were little,_" a blush snuck on to his face, "_but you two are not allowed to sleep on the same bed tonight. No matter how much you want to hold her through the night to reassure yourself she's there, can you truly trust yourself in your current mental state to not try something excessive? Even subconsciously?_"

A hand ran through Kuon's hair, reality breaking through the fog his brain and heart were in for the past three hours. Knowing him, things could get out of hand right then. He needed to remember the rules he set up. "Right... Got it. I'll try to cool off. I just..."

"_I understand exactly where you're coming from kid,_" the President reassured him, "_but there are boundaries. Work within them. She's cooling down too so don't worry so much. Sleep tight!_"

Not waiting for an answer, his boss ended the call, leaving Kuon to figure out what to do next. First he looked to the door he was haunting, and realized he was a total idiot. Kyoko was fine and wouldn't need his help in there. No wounds were found, and honestly if anyone that day would have gotten hurt, it'd be him. He landed pretty hard when he dove out of the way, and he hadn't inspected his own body yet.

Taking a deep breath, he got up and walked away from the bathroom in search for a mirror he could use to see how he looked now. No doubt he looked worse than BJ at that moment. At least he really wasn't a soulless husk this time. That would really frighten the girl he loved more than anything.


	5. Part 5

"Did you have to scare the bellhop?" Kyoko finally managed to get out of the bathroom, dressed in Setsu's night gear and headed for her wig, when she saw a shirtless Tsuruga Ren opening the door to let room service in. The poor boy who delivered their food was terrified by his less than stellar appearance (makeup and fake scars about half gone and running down his large body), and pretty much left the food cart at their door. Well, it made sure the guy didn't see her out of character and it fit Cain's, but she still felt sorry for the guy. She knew exactly how he felt right then.

When the door closed and the food was inside, Tsuruga-san had the gall to be embarrassed and guilty, looking away with his head down, at her words. Instantly she wanted to take them back. This was worse than puppy-eyed Cain because she knew he wasn't acting at that moment. "Not... really... I don't mean to scare people... I'm-"

"I'm sorry!" Quickly Kyoko bowed to her sempai, very troubled for troubling him. The president said he was in an emotional state right then, scared even, and the first thing she does is berate him for scaring the hotel staff on accident. "I should have realized your appearance right now would be intimidating! I didn't mean to-"

She was cut off by a soft laugh, awkward and a little guilty. It was enough for her to look up. A soft, small and emotionally confused smile graced the man's lips, making him seem several years younger. "You really don't change."

Looking up at that moment, the actress could tell that he had calmed down a little; enough maybe to realize his own behavior? Either way, he came to her side and pat her head in his usual reassuring manner, smiling a little awkwardly at her. There was something in his eyes telling her he was both sad and relieved, maybe even holding back, but he wasn't trying to scare her. "Go ahead and eat. I need to look less scary before the ice cream comes up."

"Eh?" She looked quickly between him, the trays of food, and him again as he picked up a stack of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. This... was too dramatic a change from when she left him half an hour ago. And she had a feeling food was going to go to waste. Quickly she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Wait! Aren't you going to eat Tsuruga-san?"

He hesitated a moment at her touch, looked off for a moment, before putting up a small smile. "I'm not really not that hungry right now. Maybe later-"

"Not good enough." Determined, she dragged the man back to the table they'd be using and pretty much forced him into his chair, his clothes unceremoniously falling from his hands. Stunned, he stayed there watching her as she brought dinner fully to the table and put his covered plate in front of him. "If I just let you do whatever you want, you won't even eat the ice cream! You need something nutritious and..."

Realization hit her as she put her own tray down with the mystery inside it. "What did you order?"

Again the giant before her avoided her eyes, still in a little shock after being forced to sit down by a pixie of a girl. "Nothing too extravagant..."

"Uh huh..." For all she knew, it was pickled pigs feet! The first thing he said he wanted to eat was fried frog legs so she wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of specially made bug dish. Cautiously, she lifted her lid, only to be surprised by its contents.

Steak with fried egg and a side of traditional Japanese vegetables. The exact meal they first ate together.

Stunned, Kyoko looked up to the man who was still not looking at her. He really had thought over his earlier actions and felt guilty and awkward about them. Yet he was thinking about her the entire time. This had to be his way of apologizing for his earlier actions. She couldn't help but remember what the president said about how he was scared to lose her and that he cared a great deal about her. His closest friend. She hardly deserved that honor, but it warmed her heart to know he had a high opinion about her, no matter what state he was in.

Knowing he wasn't going to look at her for a while, Kyoko walked around the table and wrapped her arms around his head and shoulders, surprising him. Hugging did not come naturally to the girl, but she felt like it was the only way she could express how she felt right then. The man froze under her arms, looking up to her after a second or two. Finally she spoke.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving my life and thinking about me. No one's ever done anything like this for me. So... thank you."

She kept her hold on him much longer than any could anticipate, her heart so full of love for this man that she didn't want to let go. Slowly his arms found their way around her torso, light at first, then just as strongly as when they were at the side of the road seconds after the near collision. Her grip became stronger as well, knowing he needed this more than she did. He'd probably start crying and talking about how scared he was if he could manage to put two words together. All she knew as she held him, shaking once again, that he was relieved she was there now.

Gently she whispered the words he most needed to hear. "I'm not going to leave you Ren. I promise you, I'm not going anywhere."

She could feel the tension leave his body at long last, his shaking coming to a halt, and his fears starting to drain away. She could even feel his mouth begin to smile against her shirt. It made her smile as well. She wanted to fulfill this promise more than anything. Even if they couldn't have a romantic relationship, they would always be close friends.

"Which means..." She lightened her hold to look down at his face, a sneaky, knowing smirk growing on hers. "You are not getting out of eating dinner. Ever. Got it?"

Tsuruga-san just stared up at her for a moment, blinking innocently, then laughed lightly, a boyish smile on his face. It reminded her so much of Corn's laugh from the other day that it filled her chest with warmth. He really needed to smile more like this, truly happy. "Got it."

"Good." Slowly they untangled themselves and she went back to her seat. Tsuruga-san didn't really let go of her though; he kept a hold of her arm, loosely, eventually ending with him gently holding her hand across the table. He really was a physical person when it came to comfort wasn't he. Looking at it, Kyoko pointed out the obvious. "Tsuruga-san, I need two hands to eat, and so do you."

The man pouted for a moment, almost comically. "What happened to 'Ren'?"

Turning red, Kyoko was regretting what she said mere minutes ago. "Th... this and that are different! It's highly disrespectful to call my sempai anything other than his most respectful title when it isn't important."

"So a promise to me is not near as important as getting me to eat?"

Dear gods! It was like trying to explain names and kissing to Corn all over again! Flustered beyond belief, Kyoko tried to figure out a way to explain everything without revealing all her preciously hidden feelings. She didn't get to see her sempai's awkwardly amused smile as he watched her struggle to reason herself out; she only felt him remove his hand at long last, bringing her attention back to the present.

"You don't have to explain why you're not comfortable with just saying my name," he started, calling her eyes to look at him composing himself. "But truthfully, I have no problem if you do. So long as I have permission to call you by your name, Kyoko."

Instantly she became a red brighter than any tomato, threatening to overheat and pass out right then and there. Her heart just did not stop pounding in her ears and her body was on fire. One word and she was unable to function. Seeing her reaction, the man stilled then smiled politely. "On the other hand, if you wish to keep it the way it has been-"

"YES!" Kyoko nodded vigorously, more than a little uncomfortable with his teasing (or was it?). So long as he just called her by her family name, and she by his, everything would be alright. She could hide her feelings and keep her promise to stay at his side so long as they kept going the way they were.

Chuckling, Tsuruga-san settled back into his chair and picked up his utensils. "Alright then. Mogami-san. Thank you."

She paused when he did, slowly calming down but still light hearted from him calling her name. It rolled so easily off his tongue too. After a moment he added, "For the food."

"You're the one who ordered Tsuruga-san," she reminded him, settling more comfortably in her seat so she too could eat. He absently brushed it off as courtesy and she didn't bother to correct him after that. The careful balance they had before the accident felt restored, allowing them to just be themselves in that room for the rest of the night.


	6. Part 6

Despite having done everything possible (short of snuggling and sex) to calm himself down and put his mind at ease, Kuon still had that nightmare that plagued him for the past six years. The entire evening, he and Kyoko talked, played, and laughed, much like how 'Corn' and she did the other day and eleven years ago. She found a deck of cards where she creamed him in gin and he taught her the finer points of poker. He told her a few Russian fairy tales that made her so giddy he thought she was on crack, and she told him of Shoutaro's most embarrassing moments, which he didn't mind hearing about. They talked about different things that happened on set, laughing at blunders and awkward situations like there was no tomorrow. They especially had fun laughing over Yashiro's antics and the president's bizarre actions. After those two, they discussed how to make Maria's next birthday just as good as her last one. They were interrupted a few times by the director or a few cast and crew members that were actually worried about them (Manaka was particularly irksome to both of them), forcing Kyoko to hurry and put on her wig a few times, but other than that, they spent the evening joyfully enjoying each other's company.

Yet, even after what could easily be described as one of the best nights in his life, Kuon woke up shivering somewhere around 1am, Tina's screams in his ears. Breathing hard, he tried to clear his head to get some rest. He wasn't about to go on a rampage, but the guilt of that night was hard to erase. He understood that events of his past were what gave him the life he had now. It gave him that night of joy with the woman he loved and a career he could proudly call his own. Everything was necessary to make him who he was now.

And after seeing his behavior, just being himself for the past six hours, he wasn't that bad of a person. His real self was somewhere between Tsuruga Ren and the Kuon he grew to hate so much back then. Kyoko brought him out and showed him how much he had changed. He really liked the changes.

Still the nightmare's images plagued his mind, mingling with the near collision of the day before. Scared he'd find an empty bed again, Kuon looked over to where Kyoko should be. Relief flooded him when he saw her sleeping face not that far away. She was there. She was alright. She wouldn't leave him. She even bravely offered to be used as a pillow earlier if it would help him sleep. Just the fact she offered was enough for him. He told her he was alright and declined, remembering the president's words earlier.

Now he wished he had ignored the old man and took her up on the offer. Still she had forced herself to give it so that was another deterrent. She was already asleep now so there was no chance to change his choices now.

But he wanted to be with her so much...

Slowly, without really realizing it, Kuon pulled out of his bed with a sheet hanging on his shoulders. Softly he made his way to her bedside and knelt down, just watching her adorable face. She shifted slightly in her sleep, her hand not too far from her head. Just watching her, sleeping without a care in the world, put his heart at ease. Everything would be alright, he knew it.

Carefully he leaned forward and pressed his lips on her forehead, giving it a butterfly kiss like he had as Cain, comforting each other in their mere presence. A soft whisper came out as he started to pull back.

"_I love you._"

No subconscious response came from the girl but it didn't matter. He said it in English anyway, as his true self. No act, no formalities, just a simple truth from his heart. Gently he brushed her hair out of her face, then settled down kneeling besides her bed. His head found its way to the mattress, still watching her with a smile on his lips. His right hand, now free of the shackle he had there for years, took hers nearby and just held it closely where it was. How he loved this woman sleeping before him.

Warmth filling him where the cold had chained him for so long, Kuon finally fell back asleep. He didn't know that in the morning Kyoko would wake up before him, and instead of freaking out like she had every time someone was too close while sleeping, she would smile and hold his hand a little tighter. He didn't know she too would kiss his forehead while he slept and whisper the same phrase in Japanese. And he especially didn't know she'd let him sleep like that a little longer, pretending she didn't know what happened the next day.

No, all he knew was that right then, everything was perfect. Right then he was happy, and that was all that mattered.

END

* * *

A/N: so how did you like it? Seriously I started writing this three weeks ago and finally got it completed. Anywho, I talked it over with a friend and we both noted that it's usually the people around a minor accident that freak out more than the actual victim. I've been hit twice on my bike going to work and my arm hurt like mad each time. I still finished my job for those days without a problem, but my main issue was that no one stopped to help me out! Especially the driver. B[

I could go on about that for a while, but the main point is that once I got out of shock and told people, they were more freaked out about it than I was. Ren being him, and being so deeply scarred by Rick's accident, completely lost it at the near collision. Until Kyoko got out of shock though, she wouldn't be able to notice how badly he's shaken up. I got angry once I settled down with my accidents and needed to work in order to move on. I imagine Kyoko would hate being pampered after that so I had her freak out a little.

Thing is, she needs to realize that to Ren, she is very important. He has so very few friends, and she doesn't seem to realize that he really cares about her. It doesn't have to be a romantic realization, but she does need to know that she's important to him and that losing her would devastate him. Thus her call to Lory, who made it clear that she is special to him. He only told her what she needed to now and that was it. He also warned Kuon to calm down (seriously, how can anyone keep up an act, let alone two, under these circumstances?) so she didn't flee. Then came their reconciliation because both realized that they were being a bit foolish. The rest is sweet fluff.

I really loved how she teased him about bathing suits at the beginning. I think something like that should happen because it is so in their characters. Ren both does and doesn't want to get her a swimsuit, desire battling reason. I also wanted them to end up the way I left them, sleeping peacefully like that without either being scared. So much fun!

Well hope you've liked! It was fun to write. Please comment and tell me what you think. I need a good distraction from homework. XP


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